President falls de facto

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Samuel Maxime

Editor-in-Chief

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Ouest, HT (sentinel.ht) – The National Assembly did not meet on June 14, 2016 to decide the fate of Provisional President Jocelerme Privert which had reached 120 days, the end of his mandate. The Head of State continues to remain in his seat in the absence of a decision from the Parliament as de facto president but a war of press communications and interpretations has since ensued on whether Haiti is headless or not.

A note was made public Tuesday evening June 14 and signed by the Vice-President of the Senate, Ronald Lareche, and by the President of the Chamber of Deputy, Cholzer Chancy. This note announced the end of the mandate of President Privert.

The Office of the National Assembly presided over by the Honourable Cholzer Chancy, President of the Chamber of Deputies and Ronald Larèche, Vice-President of the Senate of the Republic, informs the whole nation this June 14, 2016 brought back the end of the mandate of one hundred twenty ( 120) days of the proviso ire President of the Republic, he made the observation.

Consequently, aware of its responsibilities as co-despositaire of national sovereignty and in accordance with prescribed in Article 7 of the Agreement of February 5, 2016, the Parliament is committed to working with public authorities in order to a concerted solution. The Haitian people will be informed in the shortest delay the conclusion of the said consultations.

Also, the Office he asked the population to remain calm until the National Assembly meet to take the Measures that are needed.

Given at the Legislative Palace in Port-au-Prince, June 14, 2016.

But Lareche and Chancy, acting as presidents of the National Assembly, cannot make decisions for the National Assembly. This note and its highly consequential contents cannot be said to be the will of the Parliament without the vote of the National Assembly.

If there is confusion over the legality of the Lareche-Chancy note, it worsened throughout the night. Senator Lareche issued a note later the same night saying he did not sign the previous note and that it was false. Rumors would have everyone believe that he was coerced, at gunpoint, into signing the letter although he made no mention of that.

The undersigned Ronald Larèche, Vice-President of the Republic of Senate inform the nation have had to sign any document or joint statement with the President of the Chamber of Deputies Honorable Cholzer Chancy in their qualities of President and Vice President the office of the National Assembly on the observation of the end of the mandate of the interim President. Moreover, he has received no authorization or the Assembly or any block to take such a decision.

The undersigned, for the full edification of all and to prevent the country from descending into chaos and anarchy that such manipulation can cause, and has published an amended joint note with a group of Senators. Recognizes the legitimacy of the said proviso ire President of the Republic until the adoption by the National Assembly, other provisions as provided for in Article 7 of the Agreement of February 5, 2016.

This note unsealed circulating in the media and social networks, is totally false and should be considered as null and absolute nullity. It is accordingly hereby solemnly and challenged.

Two days before these events, 53 deputies signed a note in support of prolonging the term of President Privert beyond June 14. That would constitute a majority. 14 senators signed a not in supporting the prolongation of President Privert’s term, as well. This is also a majority of 23 senators.

Article 7 of the February 6, 2016 accord states that “The mandate of the provisional President is up to 120 days from the date of installation. Where appropriate the National Assembly shall take necessary dispositions.” Many believe the National Assembly, by not meeting on the matter, has failed giving Haiti a defacto president.

What should not be lost in the debate is that Haiti’s Parliament has only 9 legitimate lawmakers who are senators. The rest of the body, 14 other senators and all 94 members of the Chamber of Deputies are not lawful or legitimate in their seats.

The 108 aforementioned parliamentarians came out of an electoral process that was found to be massively fraudulent. Their names were published in Le Moniteur as victors of the legislative elections that still are in complete, a violation of the Electoral Decree. They were installed on Sunday, January 10, 2016 although the Constitution of Haiti requires them to have been installed a day later.